Storm Doris: East Lothian told to brace itself for snow and torrential rain as weather warning upgraded to Amber

The warning for the period from 2am to 6pm tomorrow had initially been a yellow 'be aware' warning, but that has now been upgraded to a more serious amber 'be prepared' warning.

The amber warning is the second most serious warning the Met Office can issue.

The Met Office says that heavy snow is expected on Thursday, with accumulations of 10 to 15 cm likely quite widely, with 20 to 30 cm falling on hills above 300 metres.

This will lead to disruption to transport and perhaps power supplies, the Met Office adds.

In East Lothian, forecasters currently predict that a mix of heavy snow, sleet and torrential rain will fall throughout the day, with the ratio of snow to rain likely to be higher away from the coast.

NFU Mutual has also issued advice on the coming storm. Residents are urged to:

• Stay alert for Met Office Severe Weather warnings
• Don’t risk injury by attempting to clear snow from roofs or attempting emergency repairs while the storm is raging
• Prepare for power cuts and make sure you have torches, batteries and that generators are ready
• Park your car in the garage if possible
• Secure outdoor garden furniture
• In flood-prone areas, plan how you can move valuables upstairs or raise them from ground level
• Make sure you have your insurer’s emergency helpline available
• Plan journeys carefully, check the weather forecast and only drive if necessary
• Check your tyres, as well as the levels of your engine oil, coolant and screenwasher fluid. Making sure your lights and battery are in good working order is also important
• Keep a torch, blanket, warm clothing, sensible footwear, a bottle of water and a chocolate bar or two in the car
• Make sure your mobile telephone is fully charged, and tune into the radio to keep up to date about road conditions
• Check you have emergency breakdown cover and the contact details.